MCEEC awards Junior Envirothon's outstanding teams

Monroe County Environmental Education Center recently hosted the Junior Envirothon competition for fifth- and sixth-graders and for seventh- and eighth-graders.

Monroe County Environmental Education Center recently hosted the Junior Envirothon competition for fifth- and sixth-graders and for seventh- and eighth-graders.

Competing teams from area schools were tested on their knowledge of the Pocono environment at four stations — animals, trees, ponds and invasive plants.

The overall first-place winner for the fifth- and sixth-grade competition was "The Chirping Chickadees" team from Pocono Elementary Center of Pocono Mountain School District. Members of the winning team were Julianna Evans, Olivia Wright, Taylor Craig, Abigail Dominguez, Aleyna Aydin. Receiving the overall second-place trophy was the "Dynamite Dragonflies" team from Stillwater Intermediate School.

The seventh- and eighth-grade overall first-place winner was the "Opal Oaks" team from Swiftwater Intermediate School. The team members were Michael Medaugh, Yasmeen Twahir, Gillian Herschlag, Megan Neil and Becky Sebring. Overall second place was awarded to the "Flaming Golden Eagles" team of Pleasant Valley Intermediate School.

Teams were also recognized for high scores at the individual testing stations. Station winners for fifth and sixth grades were "The Whitetail Winners" of Pocono Elementary Center (animals); "Daring Deer" of Coolbaugh Elementary Center (invasive plants); "The Chirping Chickadees" of Pocono Elementary Center (ponds); and "Outstanding Barred Owls" of Clear Run Intermediate School (trees).

Station winners for seventh and eighth grades were "Snowboarding Sasquatches" of Evergreen Community School (animals); "Flaming Golden Eagles" of Pleasant Valley Intermediate School (ponds); and "Opal Oaks" of Swiftwater Intermediate School (invasive plants; trees).